Lost in the Wind:REWRITE
by GottaGetM3sumPIE
Summary: yes my kitties, i have come back and rewritten my story...hated the way it was going so ya...*SUMMARY* Just as Ayano and Kazuma were getting close, the get kidnapped and somehow Kazuma dies. 'Is there any way to kill what cannot be killed? Why Kazuma, not me' Watch the relationship unfold a take a looksie in Ayano's past.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, i know its been awhile and i should updated the story more, but how do write a story you're starting to dislike more as the day goes on. I couldn't so i gave up on it when i though of something...rewrite so you do like it...so i am doing just that...summary is different but hey i like variation, thats how creativity works. WARNING: This is rated m, the more i wrote in the other story the more i knew it should become M and it is. So cuss words are used frequently and there might be lemon...definately nudity, those of you read the original know what i am talking about...might not be same circumstance, but still mindless Ayano doing something stupid. so kids who read this when it was t sorry but unless you can handle it, get back to the k-t offense just don't want parents coming after me. ALSO: pov has changed, now is 3rd person, easier to understand, write back stories, and write period. I have decided to send the first chapter earlier than i said so you get an idea...so ya... Anything else from the old story you want in this one SPEAK NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE...YOU ARE NOW MR. AND MRS. PASSAGE. i love being stupid...it's fun...try it sometime ;D**

**Disclaimer: I dont own Kaze bo Stigma, for if i did Kazuma and Ayano would already have a family together.**

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"Goddamn you Kazuma! I'm going to kill you if it's the last thing I ever do! Spanking me in public like that." Ayano screeched, face as red as her hair, grabbing the attention of people passing by. Apparently yelling at the sky as if there was a person there makes you look kind of crazy. That is to the untrained eye. Working with a wind mage for a while now, you learn the signs of where in the sky he is.

Regaining her composure, she looked around, noticing the people staring at her strangely, she yelled "What the hell are you all looking at?" All of them jumping, they went back to doing whatever normal people do.

Looking at the position of the sun she figured she should head back home.

In the sky, Kazuma just watched Ayano go into the sea of people going to and fro._ Just an outburst to the sky which was amusing to see her make a fool of herself and walks away, weird. Must be trying to rein her temper_. Deciding he had enough fun for today he headed towards the place that was home to him as a child. Well that was the plan until he mysteriously blacked out.

Ayano, half way home, saw her favorite cake place. Deciding that she still had time went inside and ordered what she wanted. Sitting down, she became oblivious to the world as she ate her cake. Someone sat down across from her and waited, and since she was still enthralled with her cake the stranger cleared his throat and said "Hey Aya, how's it going."

Llllll

Kazuma, still groggy, tried to sit up after waking to find out he was in what looks like a basement. Finding it useless to use his arms for some reason he groaned as he pulled himself off the floor. It was bright enough to see his surroundings but dark enough to disorient everything. Trying to use his arms again he realized he was in chains. "Well hell, if you're gonna capture a wind contractor you oughta know simple chains aren't going to do shit."

Trying to call up some wind spirits to make wind blade, he found out he couldn't get a single one of them, and there were tons of them. "The hell? Why can't I call upon wind spirits?"

"Because they can't find you." A woman coming from a door in the shadows said.

"Who are you?"

"Someone who hates you, that's for sure."

"Bitch, why can't they find me?"

"The enchanted chains binding your arms make a bubble of space where not a single spirit of any element can find a person."

"What do you want from me?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

With that the woman left, leaving Kazuma with more questions than answers.

Llllll

"Shaun? What are you doing here? I thought you were in America."

"I was then I went to Germany to visit relatives, then made a road trip here, or rather air trip. So how's it going? You head yet?"

"No not yet." It went on like this one asking a question the other answering it shortest way possible. Until, "Do you like anybody Aya?"

"Hell no!"

"Right so you're not yelling obnoxiously because you don't like anyone? Who is it?"

"Nobody! It's not like Kazu-" _Please, oh please tell me I didn't say that out loud!? _Ayano silently cursed herself into the next oblivion and covered her mouth as Shaun's eyes widened.

"No way you like your second cousin Kazuma? That's kinda weird, besides that I thought he sucks at using fire." Unconsciously Ayano found herself getting defensive over the wind contractor.

"He did that's why he got banished out of the clan. Now he's a wind mage and my body guard. Next time you speak about my friend, not cousin, but friend, I will not hesitate to kick your ass to an inch of your life." You could practically feel the fire throughout the entire restaurant.

"Understood." Shaun raised his hands in defeat.

"Good." Ayano's appetite ruined, she stood and headed for the door.

"Ayano, could we do this again tomorrow?"

"Of course, see you around Shaun." Waving she left the restaurant and headed home.

On the way, she saw the park and decided to take the scenic route home. That is until she saw someone looking familiar up ahead of her. Hair windswept and a deep caramel looking brown, black jacket, and pants, it was Kazuma. Wasn't it?

"Kazuma? What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you, about time too." _Something's off about him…_

"What do you mean?" With her attention solely on Kazuma, Ayano didn't notice the weak yoma sneaking up behind her.

"This…."

The yoma hit on the top of her head knocking her out cold.

Smiling Kazuma scooped up his cargo and walked off to where his hide out, away from prying eyes and curious clans. It almost didn't this plan of his. Ayano was starting to doubt him the more he talked. The only downside of his powers it looks like.

For if Ayano would have looked closer at Kazuma, she would have seen the imperfections of his mask. His eyes, which were normally amber looking, had a purplish tint to it, and his skin tone was a little darker than normal. His voice baritone and soothing was a little higher and irritating. Had Ayano been looking closer he would have died, because he wasn't Kazuma at all.

He was just sent to do a job: Capture Ayano and make sure she's in one piece. Which he did.

Ayano, unfortunately was starting to stir, he was only half way there tough! Opening her eyes, thinking she was with her bodyguard, crush, and mentor, whatever the hell he was raised her temperature enough to burn his hands and released her.

"Kazuma, you perv! What do you think you're doing?"

The man had to think quickly, because failure was not an option, ever. It meant certain death if he went back empty handed so he did the only thing that came to mind. Giving her a nasty right hook, she was knocked out again and he made the trek back to the hideout.

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**That's it till later on today...since it's almost 3 in the morning...review let me know what you think...and all of those who read my stories...thank you for continued support!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! hows it going...well after my five hour nap i got back to work and produced this...and soon, if not tonight tomorrow after school the third one will come out so don't worry...anywho if anyone hasn't noticed, but my stories are actually becoming longer...maybe not by much but, its better than short chapters.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own kaze no stigma...unfortunately.**

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"Ugh, where am I?" Shaking her head, she looks to see where she was. Except she couldn't, all she could see was blackness. She was blinking so either three things: blindfold, blindness, or it is pitch black wherever she is. _Is this supposed to be some type of psychological torture? _Thinking it was about time to get out of here, she noticed that her hands were bound behind her. Thinking nothing of it she tried to burn the ropes, key word tried.

"I wouldn't do that dearie, it will just suck your essence faster. Now are you ready to play your part?"

"What part?"

"You'll see in a moment dearie."

Llllll

The door opened, hurting Kazuma's eye's; given that he was in this room for about ten hours, give or take.

"Turn to your left."

"Why, a switch was flipped, and the room was lighted, along with the one next to this one with a window separating them

Doing as he was told, he could barely keep his fury contained. In the room was a very badly beaten Ayano with a masked figure behind her.

"Ayano! You son of a bitch let her go! She has nothing to do with this!"

"Oh contraire, she is very much a part of this as are you." The masked man embraced Ayano from behind, her eyes widening as one hand moved up to cup a breast and the other went lower.

"K-k-Kazuma….."

Her eyes were pleading for him to come help her, anything to get his hands off of her.

"You sick son of a bitch, I-"

"You'll what? Right now both of you are powerless with no way out, and I am willing to bet you don't have any idea of where you're at."

"What do you want with us anyway?"

"All will be revealed in due time. This is just a way to remove the competition, and have fun doing it."

The light to Ayano's room went out, but not before Ayano shot Kazuma a glance that will surely appear in his nightmares for a while. It held so much fear and anguish; it almost made him remember the look upon Tsui Ling's face before she died, almost. Now noticing the woman who was in the room with him he almost laughed at the irony. Lapis however was confused.

"Why are you amused by your situation? You are going to die and possibly the fire mage yet you find it funny? How?"

"Oh no, I'm not amused by the situation, quite the opposite. Irony, that's amusing, but never the situation."

"Oh I see." With that she turned off the light and walked out the door.

Lllllll

After the groping almost gone rape, Ayano was starting to become nervous. That was approximately four hours ago. Being in the dark that long with one's thoughts, seems to make the darkness an entity. It smells fear, eats it, and lives where light doesn't reach it to kill it. Ayano had been playing a game, how long can she keep her sanity, before she gave it to the darkness. She could feel its eyes on her, waiting for her to give up and consume her. The game was interrupted though, when the door entered and the light killed the dark entity.

A woman came in and roughly pulled her to her feet and out the door. The woman almost forgot to blindfold Ayano but it wasn't too late. Leading Ayano to the bowels of wherever they are, all Ayano could think is that someone isn't going to get out of this alive, and that scared her. She just prayed that Kazuma and herself got out alive.

Entering a room with metal floors, it was evident by the sounds when walking. Getting shoved to the floor, all they had to do now was wait.

Lllllll

Kazuma, on the other hand knew, if he didn't do something he could possibly die. So when someone rose him to his feet, he head butted him then swept his feet out from under him. Running out the door and into another room, he turned around to find five yoma behind him.

"Goddammit, can't anything go my way just once?"

Running out of the room back into the hallway, he stopped becoming surrounded. "Shit."

Two random people came up and tied his legs together with only a foot of walking room, fast enough to get wherever they were to go and never able to run without falling over. All of a sudden, laughing was heard.

"Well that was amusing, for a moment I actually thought you were going to get away. Only for a moment though. Come we mustn't miss your performance now should we?"

Dragging Kazuma through the hallway in the opposite direction, Kazuma was starting to feel an emotion he hadn't felt for a long time, fear. If what Lapis said was true, and he is going to die, then that surely isn't good. It must have taken ten minutes to navigate through the twists and turns in the building they were in. Finally they came to a big foyer, with metal floors. In the center was Ayano, with a blindfold and a couple bruises on her arms from the guy, no doubt.

Except Kazuma didn't get pushed down to the floor like Ayano, he was to get tied to a column. Lapis went behind Ayano and untied the blindfold and Ayano looked around, not much to look at considering that it looked like a parking garage would. Finally letting her eyes rest on Kazuma, the fear coursing its venom through Kazuma's body increased, but that was just on the inside. On the outside Kazuma was as cool as the breeze outside. To everyone, it seemed that he was relaxed, well everyone except Ayano. Being around her so much made her see what was behind his cool façade. Somehow they both knew that one of them wasn't going to make it out alive.

"Oh come on lads; let's let them have time to themselves before the boss comes. Oh and make sure to tie her up to that column there." One of the men standing about in the room walked over to Ayano shoved to her feet and to the column Mask man pointed to and left the room with the others.

"So how do we get out of here?"

"Honestly?" She nodded her head want him to answer.

"There isn't a way to get out of this. I can't get any spirits to find me and I am willing to bet anything that that rope is designed to keep fire spirits away. Am I right?"

She only nodded her head numbly. She could believe that Kazuma was actually giving up. Her strong, egotistical Kazuma was giving up.

"Don't-ugh-Don't look at me like that. As surprising as it is, I am human, and I feel too." His voice was cracking, and there was this little voice in the back of his head saying _You have to tell her, tell her before it's too late._

So what's going to happen? Surely there's a reason for all of this."

"Uh, I think someone hates you."

"What makes you say that? How do you know they don't hate you?"

"Oh I know they hate me, thing is I…" His voice got so impossible to understand after that as his voice got softer.

"Thing is, you what?"

"I won't have a chance to deal with the aftermath of this."

Starting to make sense in her head, but not wanting to ever believe it, she asked any way. "Why?"

"Be-Because, I will be dead by then."

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**Thank you for reading this, like i said, i will hopefully produce the third one by tonight...also i have been thinking...alot of people want to know what happened to Ayano during those years without kazuma so...with every 20 reviews i get, one chapter will be completely devoted to that time...so if you want this review and i will do it.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys...going to warn you, writing this almost made me cry...it starts off where the last one ended...it has a bitter sweet ending**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kaze no Stigma**

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"What?" Nope not gonna believe it, won't believe it. You know your subconscious mind plays dirty tricks for unrequited love. But the serious face on him made her want to cry. Actually scratch, that she did cry. Not just a little either, no, she was crying an ocean for him because she won't be able to see him after this. Ever. That was the only fact that hurt her the most. Not the fact that she could possibly be raped after they killed him or they might kill her after him, it's the fact she would be able to see him again.

Smiling sadly, almost depressed, Kazuma told Ayano he wasn't someone to cry over.

"Oh you're not huh? Not that you're an older brother to someone dear to me, or a friend to me and many people I like to be around? No, I guess you don't need tears do you? Considering that everyone is out to get you, and no one loves you."

"So you_ do_ love me." Having this conversation with Ayano was doing nothing to keep the pit in his stomach from growing, or keep his emotions in check, because if Ayano was to keep even a little bit of her sanity, going out strong would ensure that. Dammit, it was getting to be unbearable though. This might be his very last moments with Ayano, and he couldn't be his actual self. The person he was to practically nobody, Tsui Ling only saw his true self a maximum of five times. Of course he was comfortable with her, but the small fear of being cast out was what held him back.

"You ass! How did I know that you were going to pull that card before you ultimately die!? Can't you be serious for once in your life?"

By now almost all of his fire was burned out of his eyes. "Actually I was quite serious, do you love me Ayano?"

With that look in his eyes, how could she be anything but honest, but her damn pride would let her say the one word needed to be said. But who needs pride, it just gets you killed anyways.

"Yes." She didn't look at him and her face was redder than her hair.

"Ayano, look at me, I-"

He didn't get a chance to say what he wanted because someone threw a dagger to his chest. He groaned, slouching against the ropes as his knees buckled. Ayano screamed so loud you couldn't hear anything for the first minute. Laughing would have been heard if anyone was listening. Kazuma was quickly losing strength and the urge to sleep was so incredibly strong. That's without pain though. He had thought that losing Tsui Ling was an unbearable pain that made this seem like a paper cut compared to this. The pain itself was unbearable and trying to do anything especially breathing was taking too energy to even attempt, but he had to try and stay awake as long as possible to tell Ayano what he wanted to.

Before blood could even come out of his mouth, a big flash of light appeared followed by an enormous heat wave. Looking at Ayano, everyone became shocked or scared, majority being the latter since what she managed to do and what she looked like. Single handedly, she managed to turn the ropes binding her to utter and complete ashes, not a single piece of twine spared from the immeasurable heat coming off of her.

That might not seem so bad but with her entire body being covered in the almighty Crimson flame and the total of her eyes a glowing red, leaving no white anywhere; she looked like a terrifying yoma in human skin.

"Supremum peccavit, jam moriturus. Jam moriturus. JAM MORITURUS!" Ayano was speaking some language and it sounded as if she wasn't the only one speaking, as if many were speaking. Enraiha was summoned. Or was it? The shape of the sword was right, but the design looked different, a lot different.

Seemingly disappearing she reappeared behind the man who threw the dagger, one of the goons who was told to do it when it she looked at Kazuma at a perfect timing, and cut him in half, but his body was turned into ashes due to the sword's flames. This went on for next five guys. Disappearing, reappearing, cutting them into pieces and turning to ash. Coming up to the masked figure, who was enjoying the show watched as Ayano slowly came to him. Like a feline, ready to kill the mouse after playing with it.

"Qui gallum videbimus facie." Using her sword to flick the mask off, for her hand would burn him much more than her sword would, she, or they, see the face of who came up with this brilliant plan.

Seeing who she didn't expect to see she snarled like a wild animal and grabbed him, making sure that his whole body would be engulfed with flames but not turned to ash, for he didn't deserve mercy. _Shaun, you don't deserve to live._ With his last breaths being screams, Ayano smiled sadistically.

"Ayano?" Upon hearing his voice she tensed.

"Ayano, come here." Slowly the flames dissipated and her eyes were going back to normal as she made her way to Kazuma.

"Kazuma, non passe liberare dolemus." With that she went to her knees by Kazuma. Somehow Kazuma got out of the ropes and was lying on the floor.

"Kazuma? Wh-What happened? Ho-" She was silenced by a kiss, a tender kiss that held so much emotion that they couldn't help but feel, and Ayano was mainly scared. The first time they kissed- well not technically but it was mouth on mouth contact even if he was healing her- she remember Kazuma's lips being so warm they almost burned. This time however, his lips were getting cool, cooler than they should ever have to get.

Pulling away, and with determination spoke, "Ayano, if you- ever commit suicide- for what just- happened today I will- find your soul- and torture you myself- do I make- myself clear?" It hurt so bad to say that much, he had to take breathers throughout the whole sentence.

Nodding and feeling as if her head will come off for how much she was shaking it, made herself promise not cry while he could still see her. She knew not to make stupid statements, because she knew that he lost too much blood and there was no way to get anywhere fast with his wound. All she could do was make sure he was as comfortable as one could get.

One of Kazuma's hands cupped her face, even though it was bloody from trying to stop the bleeding, just so he could see her before he bit the dust. "You are- one hell of a- woman- you know that?"

She let out a bitter laugh, recalling how he hugged her-injured-and told her something like that.

"Why do you say things like that when you're hurt?"

"Well- you know- me, always- doing things late." His voice was getting quieter with each word he spoke, and she knew that it hurt him to speak but did it anyway, just for her sake.

"God I am so selfish."

"No- you're not! I want- to speak- I speak! Can't change…" His eyes were getting droopy despite trying his damnedest to say the rest of his sentence.

"If you're staying around for my sake, don't, I can't live with my self knowing you're hurting yourself because of it." Seeing the uncertainty in his eyes, eyes she is engraving to her memory so she never forgets, she smiles.

He smiled faintly, and slowly close his eyes, and lowered his hand so she wouldn't know exactly when he dies. But she did, because she saw each breath he took and when his chest didn't rise when she knew he should have, she knew.

Kazuma died, and there is no spell to bring him back.

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**So did i make you cry...if i did that means i have gotten alot better at writing so little yay...and here are translations from what ayano said in LATIN**

**1.) Supremum peccavit, jam moriturus- Those who have sinned shall now die **

**2.) Jam moriturus- Shall die**

**3.) Qui gallum videbimum facie- We shall see the face of who has killed**

**4.) Non passe libirare dolemus- We are sorry we couldn't save you.**

**Not literal translations, for i went to google translate...wont tell you what exactly happened to ayano until later...review pllleeeaaassseee**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys...This chapter is going to be a downer somewhat...but bare with me it does get better and happier...i am going to take the time to thank and comment the the people who have been kind and reviewed. Not many*cough*meanies*cough***

**Kazenostigmafan4ever: Sorry about that. To be honest, it depressed me too, but, how many fics are out there about what would happen to Kazuma in this type of situation. Ones that deal with one of the two main charactors-Ayano, Kazuma- Ayano is nine times out of ten the one that gets extremely injured or death. So i wanted to be different...but don't worry it will have happy times later on!**

**Wulfreighn91:(this is just for my sake more than yours since i already pmed you) Sorry, the original had to come to an end. Personally, i was starting to hate the original. there was no end in sight it seemed and the ending i was planning would never make sense so ya...thank you though for liking it so much.**

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It was unknown to anyone how long Ayano sat there, looking at the body of her lover. Well that's what they were right? Kazuma might not say it aloud but in his last moments _he_ tried to cheer _her _up. It should be the other way around, now who knows where he's at? Is there an afterlife? Heaven or hell, please let him be sent to heaven then. There was no way to know, or it could be as cheesy as his ghost being here not remembering a thing as to why no one can hear him until he sees his dead body, god that would suck.

Thoughts were just rolling through her head like a recorder, once they were said they would wait in line till she decided to hit replay.

Then one told her she needed to find a phone and call her father. As if being snapped out of a trance, her head snapped up and she looked around. Before all she really cared about was Kazuma, but now getting a chance to look around she noticed the carnage of it all. Or what carnage was there, it was mainly ash.

Who could have come to help them out in all of this? There was no way she could have broken out of her bonds without fire magic, and Kazuma was kinda busy dying. The only real piece of carnage was a body that looked like an overgrown hockey puck. Just looking at it made her want to puke. _Who would do that to someone? Even if they did something extremely wrong, that doesn't mean you burn the alive._

_Wait, _burn_? Was one of my family members here or Katherine? If that's so why didn't I see them? Ugh, all of this hurts my head….and heart._

Checking her jean pockets she found nothing. Then she slowly approached Kazuma, as if quickly going over there would dishonor him in some way. Lightly running her hands over his pockets-she didn't want to dig in his pockets, it would have felt awkward, whether he was dead or alive- she felt a slight lump in his right jacket pocket. Bingo! Except when she slipped her hand inside she didn't find/feel a phone in there, but the lump remained.

"Maybe there is a pocket on the inside of his jacket." Grabbing the edge of the jacket she flipped it open, but not finding a visible pocket. "The hell? Kazuma, if this is drugs I feel, when I see your ass again, I am going to kill you."

Running her hand along the cloth of where a pocket might be, she was surprised to find a slit in his jacket. Poking her hand through it she met the smooth surface of a phone.

"Thank god wind mages are always paranoid about their stuff. This is so light; no wonder the thugs hadn't taken his phone." No comes the challenging part, calling family and telling them that Kazuma was dead and that she was somewhere that only the gods know of. Personally, she was scared, scared shitless of what everyone might think.

Turning on his phone, she was relieved that she had service here. Scrolling down until she found Jugo, she made the call. A pit was forming in her stomach and a lump was beginning to choke her as it rang.

_Pick up, please! Please don't leave me here!_

"_**KAZUMA! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU! WE HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR DAYS! WHERE'S AYANO?"**_

"Da-daddy?"

"_**Ayano? Why are you using Kazuma's phone? And where are you? Why haven't you come back?"**_

"Ka-Kazuma," She couldn't form a coherent thought, the memories of what just transpired rubbed raw in her mind and soul.

"Kazuma was….. I don't know where I am…..they took me and…..Why did they do that to him daddy? Why not me instead?..." Her ramblings were becoming hysterical as she was hyperventilating.

Jugo, who was in the meeting room, asked for Kirika to come at once, and as Ayano was speaking, it was becoming clearer as to what had happened. Somehow Kazuma had died, and Ayano was there to watch it. There was no other explanation for Ayano's hysteria towards this, and with her mumblings it was hard to tell what really happened but he needed to make sure that Ayano calmed down before something worse happened to her. Besides that, she stopped calling him daddy by the age of four. That alone expresses the seriousness of the situation.

"Ayano, you need to breath, leave whatever room you're in and try to go outside. Describe your surroundings to the best of your ability. Do you understand your mission?"

"_**Yes father."**_

"Good, but you must stay on the phone. It is the only way we will be able to find you."

"_**Father, I can't leave him in here. I should stay in here until you arrive, to make sure yoma don't come for his body."**_

Of course! How could he be so stupid? The second Ayano leaves that would mean that someone could come claim Kazuma's body for their own desires.

"Very well, you can stay with him, but as I said stay on the line. Kirika's locking onto your position, but it requires time."

"Yes father."

As if speaking about her made her arrive, Kirika came into the meeting room.

"We've found them."

Llllllll

"The building should be right over this hill. Damn, I didn't think about the parks abandoned storage facilities. Back when the carnival was taken place here all the rides would be put up in the facility so it would be a hassle to get to. But since the fire five years ago…."

"It got moved to the town's square." Ren, who had clawed and fought-quite literally- to go with Jugo, Genma, and Kirika- finished. Kirika just nodded. Jugo had told the adults what happened to Kazuma, but not Ren, for he didn't want him to be as heart-broken as Ayano sounded over the phone.

With the building in sight, everyone got ready for anything. Not knowing if anyone was still around, cautiously left the vehicle.

"Are you sure they're here? It doesn't look as if someone has been here for a long time." Ren asked doubtfully. It had been a week since anyone had heard from Kazuma or Ayano. The first night she didn't come back was waved off as needing some downtime away from family. Except the next day when she hadn't reported in for school, people started getting worried. This would be her first time not being at school with the exceptions for being so sick she couldn't make it to her toilet to puke. There was no need to worry about Kazuma until he didn't answer his phone for anyone including Ren. By then the worse was feared: both were already murdered or kidnapped or both.

"I am. We should check the basement first and work our way up."

"Very well, lead the way." Jugo said calmly, but afterwards there was an awkward silence. What Jugo said hadn't made the awkward silence, it was the fact that Genma, Ren's father, hadn't said a whole word since agreeing to let Ren come with them to look for Kazuma and Ayano. Walking towards the back of the building, Ren noticed something behind some trees to the left.

"What's that?" Ren pointed to what he was pointing at, and the adults turned and looked. They saw a black car inside a beaten up garage.

"That's an old garage, with a new car. We are definitely in the right place." Looking down at the device that held where Ayano should be and their current location she said, "And that is where the signal is coming from, come on, but proceed with caution." The nodded and did as they were told.

Upon looking in the garage they spotted nothing out of the ordinary.

"How does this make sense? This is where they should be." Kirika was getting frustrated with the whole situation.

"Found something." Genma said, speaking for the first time. Kneeling he lifted up a hidden door. The first thing they smelt was the smell of burning flesh, and it was not fresh at all. It had to be three days old at least.

"Ren, stay up here until we tell you to come down, understood?"

"Yes father."

Going down the ladder that lead to where the smell was coming from, they were not greeted by a pretty sight at all.

Piles of ashes were strewn around a circle where Kazuma and Ayano were laying. Somehow, she had moved his arm to where it was now beneath her head. Ayano was definitely smaller since the last time they saw her, and Kazuma, well, Kazuma had a knife in his chest. It was a sad sight to see. Then they found what was making that god awful smell. It was no wonder why they smelled burnt flesh, from what it looked like, if they even attempted to even touch the remains, the skin that was left would just fall right off.

"My god, what happened in here?" Upon hearing Kirika's question, Ayano sat up. They all gasped. She was covered in ash, blood, dirt, and was that flesh on her right shoulder? In a summarized way, she looked like death warmed over. Especially with her eyes, looking as they did, practically soulless pits. They were about to go to her when a voice behind them whispered, "Kazuma?"

They all turned to see Ren looking at the dead body of his brother.

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**So ya i planned a story within a story. I know that it might be kinda wrong for a-how old is he 11,12?-kid to see a dead body like that but it must be done...REVIEW please...it saddens me to see many people read my story not practically none review them. Besides that i will throw in a bonus chapter with every 15 reviews. thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guy's how's it going? the reason it tokk me sometime to post this chapter was for two reasons: a) i couldn't think of a way to start this chapter til tonight and b) this one's way longer than the others, by like a thousand words! WARNING: This is a tear jerker, i almost cried twice writing this. seriously. i dont cry easily either. never cried during titanic but almost did, so close but i didnt.**

**Diclaimer: Ditto to other chapters**

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Ayano woke up in a white, bland bed. Definitely not home. Considering that everything was so bland and white, she knew must be in the hospital. She didn't remember much of what happened in the garage but the last thing she saw was Ren running to his father and hitting him in the face. Genma knocked him out after that.

Looking down her body, she didn't realize she was this injured. She had tubes running throughout her body, a cast on her left wrist, wrappings on her neck and chest, a brace on her right foot too. Thing is she doesn't feel the pain. She feels hallow, but that's not pain is it? To feel nothing, no joy, no love, nothing except a twinge of sorrow.

For how could she have joy, if the one thing that brought her joy is dead? How could she love if her heart went to someone she could never see again? She only felt sorrow, and maybe anger, because that is the one emotion that is left for her to feel. So is this true pain?

Her question goes unanswered as the door to her room opens, revealing her father looking so much older than he actually was. Well that's if you didn't take in account how pissed he was. It was inexcusable for someone to leave her so dehydrated, mutilated, and without sleep. If Ayano hadn't have done it, he would have killed every single one of them.

"How are you Ayano?"

"Considering that I'm on some strong drugs, fine, but I probably never have a good night's sleep on my own ever again. How's Ren?"

It might have sounded like how was Ren physically, which she was a little, but she was really worried how he was taking Kazuma's death. Jugo shook his head.

"Not too well, I am afraid. He won't eat much and refuses to talk let alone be in the same room as us."

"Can you really blame him though? He saw his idol, the strong fearless Kazuma, dead in a pool of blood with a dagger in his chest. Not exactly helpful for him since he has been worried sick about us. As for the other thing, had you guys told him flat out what happened to his brother, own flesh and blood, he might not be mad at you."

She kept on talking though, jumping from subject to subject, for if she stopped, the memory would replay and she wouldn't know how to stop it from happening again. Jugo knew this and let her babble. When she unknowingly brought up Kazuma, he remembered something.

"Ayano?"

"Yes father?"

"About Kazuma, in two days we're going to bury him."

"Where?"

"Where he would if he had still been in the royal family."

"Genma approved of this?"

"Yes, he said that anyone willing to give their life for you is worthy of the honor."

"Did he really say that?"

"No not actually, but that is what he meant."

They smiled a little, when a knock was heard.

"Enter." Jugo answered as if he were in the meeting room, with full authority that left many second guessing if they should actually enter. The only one who didn't feel that way was Ayano, Genma, Ren, and Kazuma.

Ren entered a little cheery a sad at the same time, knowing that Jugo must be in there since Ayano was awake. Then realizing that it was Jugo, slightly glared at the head and asked "May I speak to Ayano alone?"

"Of course you can." Getting up, he headed out the door. Ayano watched Ren watch him go cautiously and sighed in relief when he closed the door.

Looking at Ayano, he blushed in embarrassment when he realized she saw the behavior he showed around her father.

"Please don't stay mad at him forever, it would hurt him dearly if you act like Kazuma did around his father."

"Well had he told me about my brother, I wouldn't even be mad."

"Would you have believed him had he told you outright?"

"No, I guess not, but it doesn't change how I feel." Now he was sitting in the chair next to the bed, but he was fidgeting a lot. Ayano knew what he wanted to ask, but wasn't sure how she would tell him, he didn't want to taint his head more than it already was.

"Ayano, how, how did Kazuma die?"

"You saw his body didn't you?"

"That's not what I mean. I meant what lead up to him dying?"

"Ren, I promise, I will tell you what happened, but please don't let me relive it right now alright? I'm still having a hard time believing he's gone." Both had tears in their eyes as Ren nodded.

The rest of the time Ayano spent in the hospital- which wasn't long, only for the next day, she would be released the day of Kazuma's funeral- she reminisced with Ren all the funny things Kazuma had done. Ren had some pretty hilarious stories about the wind mage when he still lived with the family. They knew it didn't help their heavy hearts, heck if anything it made them heavier if possible, but they wanted to talk about all the good things Kazuma had done and forget what evil he had done. The time he went berserk and killed was one flaw they overlooked as one would overlook an ant. They had to because if they even thought of the possibility that he wouldn't find peace, they'd drive themselves mad. Well that's if they weren't mad already , because usually the insane didn't know they were insane, only the docs. So from the moment they both woke up till visitors had to leave they told stories of Kazuma, heck, Kazuma didn't have to be there in some of the stories just how they thought he might react to it was told. Some stories were funny and happy, some were downright depressing, but it didn't matter. Not to them any ways, because tomorrow they would have to see him be lowered into the ground, and there would be no happy smiles there.

So as Ren left, Ayano drifted from reality into her subconscious mind, where nobody died and everyone was happy.

'_Come on Ayano! You're so slow! Hell the turtle is moving faster than you are!' Kazuma yelled at her from where he was on the beach, hovering just above the water. Even from here she could tell he was grinning, knowing he riled her up, and was ready to fly out of there when he needed to._

'_Hey! I'm not the one who has to fly everywhere just so he can be first. Besides that I passed the turtle two minutes ago!' On the outside, it might appear she was irritated, on the inside she was having the time of her life with Kazuma on the beach, with no one around for miles._

_Hearing Kazuma genuinely laugh made her smile. It was becoming a rarity to hear the pleasant sound but whenever he did, it was hard not to laugh with him. _

_Walking up to him, she hit him playfully on the arm. Which in turn, made him push her, she shoved him, and not hurtfully, but powerfully, pushed her into the wave that was coming onto the beach._

'_You jerk!' just for fun's sake he let her sweep his legs out from under him. Also made it to where he fell-on is hands and knees- right on top of her. She had he eyes closed and was too busy laughing to notice the position they were in until Kazuma brushed a stray piece of hair away from her face._

_Her eyes opened immediately and was about to yell at him to get off when she noticed the look on his face. So serine, and in peace her breath caught. She never thought she'd get to experience this with him, considering how he felt for Tsui Ling._

'_Thank you Ayano.' Before she could ask for what his lips were placed against hers. She almost bawled right there for what was happening, is this for real?_

_Suddenly the place seemed to change, and their position seemed to change. Warm liquid was on her face, and as they separated, Kazuma started to die._

'_No, no, no, no, this can't be happening. Kazuma? Kazuma!'_

"Kazuma!" Ayano shot out of bed and shot her hand out in front of her, as if he would somehow appear with the sound of his name, but didn't come. Realizing what just happened, she pulled her knees up and cried into her lap. It was then she knew, just _knew_ she would never get a good night's sleep ever again.

-**(jk, i bet you were all about to strangle me, but i have more...dont know how close i was to ending it here)-**

That day was hell for Ayano, she never went back to sleep after she woke up after her nightmare. It had seemed so real, like she was there with him on the beach laughing. After the doctors a-okayed her, she went home to change. In most cases, you would dress in black to show mourning, but if it was a death of a Kannagi, you were to wear red. It doesn't matter that he was no longer part of the clan, for he saved them all in a time of crisis, so they will treat him like a Kannagi.

Dressing in her nicest dress, she went into the meeting room. She almost couldn't go in, the memories of all the times spent with him in there coming to the front of her mind. Knocking, her father, who usually just said enter, actually answered the door.

"Are you ready Ayano?" All she was able to do was nod her head, her voice would be weak if she said anything, and she refused to be weak in front of her father. That time on the phone was technically wasn't in front of him.

Both walked to the front gate to a car which would lead them to the sacred burial grounds of not just the Kannagi's but of all the clans of earth, wind, and water that reside here. Once arriving, she looked around. It had been quite some time since she's been here. She was only six when her mother died, so she didn't remember much of the place, just feelings. Sadness being the main one, but underneath it was a feeling of serenity. She knew her mother would find peace here, but she couldn't say the same for Kazuma. He was a puzzle she was just starting to figure out.

It was like getting the border of the puzzle done then leaving it there to find something else to do, the picture never really seen, except on the box that the puzzle came in.

Everyone stood silent as the ritual began, and Ayano, surprisingly didn't cry during it, but the second they showed his coffin and lowered him into the ground, Ayano broke. She started to weep silently as the memory of her dream of him on the beach came to her mind. She would never get to experience that with him. That put her mind in such misery that her sobs were starting to become heard, but she wasn't the only one crying, and neither was Ren. Some of her clan was mourning the loss of the great man that was Kazuma. Even Genma the man who cast him out shed a tear for his son. The weight that sadness put on the atmosphere made most of the clan members leave.

Ayano and Ren waited until the last bit of dirt was put on his grave and the rest of the family had left. They both went to his headstone and looked at it.

**Kazuma Yagami**

**Respected man and brother**

**You will always be remembered as the man who saved the Kannagi clan.**

They laughed at the irony in front of them. Till this moment in time everyone in the Kannagi clan refused to accept that Kazuma had saved them and praised only Ayano and Ren. Yet the second he dies they all start to respect him and give him the credit he deserves.

"It only took you dying for them to respect you. Maybe you should have had a near death experience. Might have made them think twice about it." Ren said shaking his head in disbelief.

Ayano smiled sadly looked to her right, then back to him.

"Kazuma, look after my mom, she tends to get lonely easy so stay with her okay?" She raised her fingers to her lips kissed them, then placed them on his name. Laying a rose on his grave and doing the same to her mother's to the right of him, stood and turned toward her father waiting in the car.

"I will never forget the moments we spent together big brother." Ren stayed for a couple seconds then turned towards the car taking him home.

Had they turned back around, they would have noticed the wind pick up some of the rose petals, like Kazuma saying good bye, before going into eternal slumber.

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** So, how was it? Hope it wasn't bad...Review please!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys...I got sick and didn't want to do anything this week, but today i am feeling better and got this chapter writen up.**

**Kazenostigmafan4ever: To answer your question, i am doing the time skip, but there might be some flash backs. I mean what Ayano went through was very truamatic, don't you say...so...i hope you don't mind too much. And since you like my story/stories if there is something from the old one you really liked, ask me and i might throw it in this one...as you can see this one it taking a completely different turn than the onther one, not to mention its longer, so please any and all feedback is appreciated. :)**

**Disclaimer: Do i have to do this every chapter or can you guys just refer to past chapters? The disclaimer is on chapters 1,2,3,4,5(including dittos)**

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_'Kazuma, Kazuma, Kazuma!' The whispers of the spirits echoed, trying, somewhat in vain, to wake up the resting mage. Every day at this time the spirits would come and call out to the man, but so far to no avail. Their beloved king asked them to do this for him, since he could never leave his kingdom, to tell this man a message. They wouldn't abandon their post until they spoke to him._

_'Kazuma, Kazuma, Kazuma!' The man's eyes opened and took a big breath of air. He looked around, but could see nothing but pure blackness. He tried to remember what had happened to him, but his thoughts was interrupted whispers that clearly belonged to the spirits of the wind._

_'Kazuma, Kazuma, Kazuma!' With each time they said his name they got louder, had grown from soft mumbles to loud, clear, and distinct voices._

_'The king, Spirit King of Wind…..asks you to take on, to fight…a great evil, disastrous evil…..also find phoenix, fierce creature….fail, lose….the depths of hell await, it'll claim you…..win, succeed…..live again, another chance…..evil can't take bird, fiend can't take the phoenix…..everyone will die, world ends….that, this…..message, warning….is it, ended'_

Kazuma didn't know what to think of the message he just heard or how to even solve the problem, because how could he solve the problem if his mind was still way too hazy for him to think straight. He didn't have much time to dwell on it because he was starting to breathe heavily. The air was running thin wherever he was and he needed to get out.

Feeling around, he didn't feel a door, all he felt was cloth. Where the hell was he if all he felt was cloth, cloth, and more cloth? At first he thought he was just in a bed but what kind of…..

Oh, God, he was in a coffin. Why would he be…..

His head started to hurt as his mind became less hazy and he started to remember what happened, but it was becoming harder and harder to breathe so he couldn't have the luxury to keep thinking about it. So he flipped on to his stomach and cupped his hands. Inside was a ball of air. He made it compact till it couldn't any smaller. Then when he released it, it created an explosion of wind, sending him up past the surface. Letting the wind take him to the sky he looked around. Somehow, this place looked familiar.

This was the place where they buried Ayano's mother! What was he doing here? He searched his head until he found his answer. He had died. Placing a hand where he had been stabbed, he felt a ghost pain of what happened to him.

Looking down, he saw someone down there, looking around dazed. When-it looked like a girl so he's assuming here- she looked up she looked dumb founded. Looking more closely, he realized who she was.

"Ayano?"

She couldn't believe her eyes. She was eating chocolate before bed again wasn't she? She really needs to find a better comfort food. Every time, she eats it that night she dreams of him, but just this once she won't allow herself to wake up. She's been dying to see him one more time, especially what's been going on with her recently.

"Kazuma?"

He was descending from the sky, but his vision remained fixed on her. When his feet touched the ground, Ayano called upon Enraiha and pointed it at Kazuma.

Just because she wanted to see him, it didn't mean that she wouldn't take precautions and make sure he wasn't a yoma. She wouldn't let her guard down again, not after all that had happened.

"You certainly haven't changed much." Just saying that made her almost loose her grip on her sword. Disappearing, and then reappearing right behind her, Kazuma circled an arm around her waist, and put his head on top of hers. She couldn't hold it back, she started to sob, and very violently at that. But her pride, being her downfall wouldn't show her face to him, so they stayed like that. Well until someone said, "Hey asshole get away from her!"

Turning his head to see who was shouting, he was surprised to find a man with a gun pointed at him.

"Uh, Ayano, who's the trigger happy guy?"

She had turned to look to but immediately ran over to him.

"No! Put that ting away before you hurt someone!"

"Uh wasn't he just trying to hurt you? That's why you were crying wasn't it?" Ayano shook her head violently.

"What? No! Kazuma, well," she had to think of something. Suddenly she remembered what she always called Kazuma. "Well, Kazuma's a big pervert who pulls pranks on me and I got frustrated that's all."

"Then why did it look like he was gonna kidnap you or something?" That unfortunately she didn't have an answer for. She looked over to Kazuma, silently pleading for him to help her out. Silently muttering he made his way over to them.

"Well it looked like that because we're very close friends. We sometime don't know the concept of personal space. So when she started bawling, I did what usually calms the freak of nature down."

"Hey asshole! I'm not the one who…" She trailed off not knowing how to finish it all things considered.

"So Ayano, are you going to introduce me to your new friend." Kazuma changed the subject before the dumbass with the gun started to ask what she was about to say.

"Oh yeah. Kazuma this is…" Memories of their last moments together sprang to the front of her mind, instantly she felt as if she was betraying Kazuma for doing this, but she had to say it.

"This is my fiancé Jun. Jun, this is my closest friend Kazuma." Both of the guys eyes widened at what she had said.

_Fiancé, wow. That's new. I didn't think she'd be ready to settle down with any one._ He wasn't going to admit that he was heartbroken that she had decided to get married with somebody else but he couldn't blame her. He had died, and forbade her to kill herself so she decided to move on.

Jun was shocked that there was someone she kept secret from. He never heard a peep about this Kazuma guy and supposedly they were close friends.

"Nice meeting you. Ayano, do you know if my apartment is occupied by some else or is it still vacant by any chance?"

"Dude, you been away for five years. I think somebody figured you wouldn't be there ever again and gave to someone else. You can stay in my old apartment, I moved out of it but there's still a bed, electricity, and running water. I go there to get away from everyday life. Just know you're paying rent."

"Wait since when did you start living on your own?"

Her eyes glazed over and it took on a shade darker than normal. "About three weeks after you left. Everyone was blaming each other so I took the fall of it and left, essentially I got banished."

"What about Ren how is he?"

"He doing fine, comes to see me once a week at the café."

"Well it seems you two still have a lot of things to catch up on." Jun turned to Ayano "I'll see you at home, right?"

"Actually, I was planning on staying with my family and catch up with them, if that's alright."

"Yeah go ahead, it's been months since you've seen your father. Have a good time."

He kissed her cheek and left.

Turning to Kazuma, face completely serious, she asked him "How the hell are you alive?"

"Truthfully, I have no idea. When I woke up the wind spirits gave me a message from the spirit king himself. Something about a great evil and a phoenix."

"Huh, weird. I wonder-"

She was silenced when the wind mage kissed her. She broke away from the kiss immediately.

"Kazuma, I can't. I'm about to get married."

"Then get **un**married." He had died yes, and was ready to let her go, but now that he was back, he was going to make damn sure she was his. With that in mind he cupped her face and kissed her again. This time, she didn't push away.

Wrapping her arms around his neck she deepened the kiss. She dreamed about this every night since he died. Now being able to do it, it sent chills down her spine and butterflies fluttering in her stomach. All of what had happened before had vanished from their minds. Kazuma had never felt like this before. Of course he'd kissed girls, had sex, stuff like that. He only felt a spark or two with Tsui ling when she was alive, but with Ayano, he felt as if he was on fire. Hell they could be for all he cared. He was just fine this way.

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**That's the next installment...hope you guys like it...thank you for reading and REVIEW please i need constructive criticism if i want the story to be any better than the original...bye!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys sorry for the long wait...my dad's getting ready for mardi gras(people in america know what it is) and i am required to help...that and with grueling hours i have to put in with the school play, i haven't had time to update, but loyal readers don't worry for i won't quit on this story!**

**I wanna give a quick thank you for the three people who reviewed so far...**

**kazenostigmafan4ever:your story...awesome keep up the good work...glad you liked/like my original and this one...thank you!**

**crazywolf1991: same as i said with kazenostigmafan4ever, im super glad you like both versions...thank you!**

**ElatedReviewer:Fear not! i will not quit on this story...for i am not rushing it...i hope...as much as i did the other, and having different plots within the main one...i am flattered you think so highly of me...i don't see it but im glad some one does...thank you!**

**Disclaimer can be found on the begining chapters**

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'_Kazuma stop!' She exclaimed between giggles. Kazuma decided to tickle her when she had her back was turned._

_They were at the beach, sun had set so long ago, and it was almost too dark to see. Shoes and real clothes had been abandoned as soon as they had gotten there. _

_Kazuma wore a pair of plain black swim trunk, and Ayano decided that she would get out of her comfort zone for once and buy a bikini. It was a plain blue number that made her eyes and hair seem redder than it already was. _

_Of course Kazuma said something about it but had yet to actually complain about it. It made her smile that she could make Kazuma feel at least a little attracted to her. The tickle war continued on for what seemed like days which only turned out to be five minutes when Kazuma fell and took Ayano with him. _

_Only this time Ayano was straddling him. She paid no heed and laughed to the sky. Kazuma laughed as he looked at her._

_She looked down to see him staring at her and blushed. Brushing some of her hair behind her ear he pulled her into a kiss. Suddenly, the room got hotter. A feather fell onto her shoulder, when she looked at it, it was on fire._

_Startled, Ayano jumped to her feet and looked for whatever might be on fire. Finding nothing in the air she looked around her. She saw a flicker to the left of her, towards the ocean. It was coming closer, both Kazuma and Ayano braced themselves for whatever it might be. Ayano was shocked when she was able to see what it was. It was her, but not her at the same time not her. Her eyes were that of a yoma's and her body was engulfed in the crimson flame. Her sword resembled Enraiha but there were defiantly differences. But the biggest difference between her and her look alike was the giant pair of golden red wings sporting her back, also engulfed in the crimson flame._

'_**Supremum peccavit, jam moriturus. Jam moriturus. JAM MORITURUS!'**__ She yelled the disappeared. When she reappeared, Kazuma was unable to defend himself against her flames and turned to ash. She looked at Ayano then did the same thing._

Ayano shot out of bed and ran to the bathroom. Wait, where was she? Looking around she noticed she was in her old apartment. Then the memories of what transpired just hours ago replayed in her mind. It was then she noticed something, or rather the lack of some_**one**_.

"That bastard! He came just to fuck me then leave! Oooh that bastard is going to die….again. Oh who am I kidding? She slid down to the floor and curled into a ball. The fer that this was just som sick dream or hallucination was overbearing. She hated her imagination at times, especially now. Her fiancé was probably worried about her, and she was naked in her empty apartment. Looking at the night stand she hadn't liked but bought anyway, she noticed something odd. Sitting atop it was a curled up piece of paper. Grabbing it she read what it said:

_Ayano,_

_Gone to investigate something. Be back soon._

_Kazuma_

_P.S. I did not decide to fuck you and leave forever. That's not my style. We'll talk when I get back._

"So now he's a mind reader, the hell? Does he think I gonna sit on my ass all day and let him do whatever he wants? NO! I deserve answers and I'm going to get them."

Looking out past the balcony, she saw Kazuma on the roof just across from this building. Seeing a big piece of plywood off to the side, she made it her ramp to get a good jump to the other side. With a big cry she leapt from the homemade ramp to the other roof with no regards of her current state.

Kazuma, wide eyed watched as she landed with quite amount of grace come at him with Enraiha this time with the crimson flame. Muttering under his breath he made his way to her.

"Kazuma! What the hell are you doing?"

"Me? Uh excuse me, but I'm not the one jumping roofs with absolutely NO FUCKING CLOTHES ON! I told you I would be back in a while, why don't you ever listen, jeez."

Draping his jacket around her he looked around, hoping no one saw them. Oh, boy that would be a trip in the park. Kazuma wouldn't get as much money while Ayano yelled at him and Ayano would become a laughing stock.

Getting back to the reason Kazuma was out here before Ayano woke up, he had felt something off around the apartment and went to see if it was just a side effect of him waking up not a day ago. Unfortunately that wasn't the case at all. No something big, bad, and scary was brewing, and Kazuma could only guess that this was the evil trying to steal the phoenix where ever or whatever it was. For all he knew a phoenix could be meant metaphorically, or in a different language mean phoenix. He had no clue, only the guidance of the whispers of the wind spirits, which were vague.

How was he supposed to do all of this? It wasn't an often occurrence but every once in a while he doubted himself, and he didn't like the feeling in the slightest. Usually someone would be there to make him gain his spark back, but he couldn't tell anyone what his mission was. It was as if something was making him hold his tongue every time he tried to bring it up with someone, that someone mainly being Ayano.

"We should probably head back…." Ayano hadn't said much and it was concerning him.

"Ayano? Are you-"

He didn't even get a chance to finish before he was glomped _**(A/N: This is the proper word for a tackle hug right?)**_ to the ground. He started to feel a little wetness on his shirt, and looked down. Ayano was crying and for the life of him could not understand _why_.

"What's the matter Ayano?"

"….…" He couldn't make out any of her mumbles, as they lay there on a rooftop overlooking the city.

"Ayano, you're going to have to speak up-"

"I _SAID_ THAT IWAS AFRAID YOU WERE MY IMAGINATION, AND I WAS HAPPY YOU WEREN'T." She was holding onto him as if letting go would mean he would disappear forever.

"You wanna know something about me?"

"What?"

"I _still_ have nightmares about what happened. With some on the side about me." Screech, his mind put on the breaks and had to go in reverse. Nightmares about herself? The nightmares about him were understandable, but what are these nightmares about herself all about.

"What nightmares about yourself?"

"The ones where I speak a different language and kill both of us."

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**I have to stop it here...cuz a im tired its 1:30am where i live with school later on and i need to make sure youll have to read my story the next time i update...hope you liked it...review...constructive critism won't be turned down, i dont bite...often...bye!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Yeah, i had some typos that if left unedited might confuse you readers and i just made tiny adjustments...my next chapter will be up soon, like today soon so dont worry! so its alost identical to the oringinal, to those who have already read the chapter i only changed one word in the last paragraph. 'wind' to 'wings' ...stupid autocorrect.**

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To say he was surprised would have been an understatement. To have dreams about how she "changed" and killed people-he could have heard what happened from Antarctica-baffled him. Especially since it looked as if she didn't know what had happened during that time.

After looking at Kazuma for a moment, Ayano looked at the ground, feeling ashamed. The look on his face, to her looked scornful. She didn't blame him, who would want to be around someone who dreamed of killing them? She'd probably look the same as him. Then again, she has been known to misinterpret his facial expressions before. There's proof of it too. Say saving her when she thought he was making a move on her. So what's to say he isn't scornful, but something else entirely? Unfortunately that didn't ease her one bit at all-she might feel a little bit of hope-but that doesn't mean she felt the shame ease up any.

"Hey, just because I haven't said anything, and probably had a funny look on my face, but that doesn't mean I am gonna look at you any differently." Kazuma said placing a finger under her chin, lifting her face so she could look him in the eyes. "So you had a dream, doesn't mean it's going to happen. Alright?"

"Yeah, you're right." She didn't sound so reassured though. She had something else that was nagging her. The dreams, well, they were the tip of the iceberg. She couldn't tell him, when she tried, she said something else, every time. Like something didn't want her to say it. It sounded like something out of a TV show, she knew that, but when it really happened she couldn't believe it. To think she had dreams of Kazuma dying, not always the way he bit the dust, and then it came true, she felt so much guilt it was unbearable for a while. She couldn't break though, for if she killed herself that would mean going back on a promise with Kazuma and she wouldn't do that to him. Had she known what happened, happened she would have told Kazuma about her dreams long before they were kidnapped.

Guilt was being passed around it seemed. Kazuma had seen and heard what Ayano did that fateful day, and to hear her talk about the different language, and the different attitude, it seemed a little more than coincidental. Though he couldn't tell Ayano what happened, who knew what that might do to her already fragile mind, but it felt wrong to keep it from her. She's the suspect and victim at the same time, in a way. She killed, maybe in cold blood, maybe in self-defense, but she killed. She also had no idea, which means she could have been possessed by something. It would explain the eyes, and possibly the language. The thing is almost every case of yoma possessions, the vessel remembers everything, like looking through a window. It didn't leave very many options available, but he couldn't tell anyone his theories. Every time he tried it's like he suddenly forgot how to speak. Then the wind spirits told him he could have no help in finding the stupid bird or evil…._thing_.

Maybe after he finds this thing he'll be able to tell her what happened to her, but just not right now. Looking at Ayano, he noticed how she was looking as if she was going to fall asleep standing, clutching to his shirt.

"Ayano, how about I get you back to the apartment so you can get back to sleep, alright?" She didn't hear him, well not right away. The way her eyes were glazed over it looked as if she was some other place. A place filled with monsters in the dark, pain, sorrow, and every other dark thought imaginable, and he couldn't do a damn thing to help her.

"Ayano?" That snapped her back to the rooftop, standing there with Kazuma with the moon and stars shining overhead, but they offered no comfort. Her brain started working again and she remembered that Kazuma asked her if she wanted to go back to the apartment and go back to sleep.

"Uh, oh yeah, that's fine." At this point Kazuma knew that something was wrong with her, but wasn't going to push anymore on to her. Bending down he grabbed her from behind her bare knees, and proceeded to carry her bridal style. She was definitely lighter than she was when she was younger, whether that was a good thing or not he had yet to figure out. About to jump in the air to go back to the open door that Ayano jumped from, he felt something wrap around his feet. Looking down, he saw a dark purple aurora surround his feet and keep them planted. By the roof's emergency exit, was a shape of a man in the darkness, shrouding anything to identify him.

"Oh, you can't leave right now! I wasn't able to make my flashy entrance yet! You know, guns blazing, fiery explosions, the whole nine yards. But you guys, with your mushy gushy crap wouldn't give me a good atmosphere for it. So now, I have to make it up as I go." The man stepped out of the darkness wearing a beige trench coat, and a mask. It was a simple, white, full-face masquerade mask. With a strange symbol in the middle that neither Kazuma or Ayano recognized. The man also had a voice scrambler so they had nothing but the mask to go on to identify him. Which is probably what he wants, the thing is who is he and how does he know them?

"Who the hell are you? How do you know us."

"Well I wasn't there when everyone was burned to a crisp, but I was the one who organized our little show."

"Tell us who you are or-"

"Or what?" The man scoffed "You going to burn me alive? Cut me in half and turn me to ashes?"

"Oh, we're going to do more than that." Kazuma's eyes widened, surprised by the sudden change in Ayano's voice. It was back, whoever, or _**whatever**_ possessed Ayano when they were kidnapped has returned. Ayano just glared at the masked man, this time, he could see her. See the gleam of fangs protruding from her lips hair flying all over the place, from where he was the shape they were forming in the nonexistent wind looked like wings. With her eyes glowing red, preparing to kill.

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**to those who are reading this for the first time, i hope you enjoyed it, for my returning readers, thank you for the continued support and as i sai, the next chapter _should_ be up today. And pleeeaaasssseee review! i need to know if i am doing alright or if i need to change soething or add or whatever to this story to make it better.**

**-thanks, bye.**


	9. Extra! Extra!

**Hey guys, well like i said , i am doing a bons chapter, it's not long, but it's better than nothing, right...besides, i am leaving it in parts so this is part 1, it takes place rigt after the funeral scene...hope you guys like...and i am working on the next chapter, just trying to find a way to start it without looking stupid...i will give thank yous and what-not in the actual chapter.**

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As soon as Ayano was in the car she was sobbing uncontrollably, she had to remain strong in front of him, even in death. Ren understood this and just hugged her, letting her cry on his shoulder. Secretly he was crying too, but he had to be her support so he never let her see his face.

It was time to grow up, he realized. So far all he did was mess around with friends, go on a mission here and there but really he never did anything to hep. Usually he was just bait, or crowd control, never anything too big. Now that Kazuma was gone, he had to watch Ayano's back, which means hard core training, and less free time. But that was okay, he was ready to take it full force.

Unfortunately though, Ayano just became a shell of her former self. She hardly talked, let alone smile. Every time someone tried to get her out of the house, including her father, she would make up an excuse to stay in her room. That was before she found her father's alcohol stash in the basement.

She would get drunk at least once a week, on time she got drunk every night after she thought everyone went to bed, except Ren. He knew of her newly acquired drinking habits, and made sure she went to bed before collapsing, and if she didn't, make sure to drag her to bed. He didn't want her father to know how bad she was getting. For there were conversations between him and her father , he hope that there would be a day where she would just wake up and forget the whole thing and be his brave, hot headed daughter again, not this hollow shell of a girl. How was he to say that she might never come back.

Then one night, she came to him, not drunk yet but well on her way. She wanted to talk, about everything. Mainly about Kazuma, oddly enough. She was getting drunk to forget, yet she was talking to remember. That's when he got brave to ask her something he hadn't had the heart, or courage, to ask her about.

"Hey Ayano?" Ren asked timidly.

"Hm?" She replied in a dazed stupor.

"Did- Do you love him?" He didn't have to say, or explain anymore because she knew exactly what he was asking.

"Doesn't really matter anymore, does it? He's gone, and nothing I do, or feel could bring him back." She started to giggle, but he couldn't see what was so funny.

"You know, when I fainted in that hell hole, I was silently praying for them to take my soul instead, to bring him back and let me die instead. Anything would be better than this pain I feel, but I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles. Into a million little pieces that you can't pick up." She took a swig from the bottle in her hand.

"You know, every time we went to a fancy restaurant, he would always try to get me to drink, to see if I could handle my liquor and what-not. I would say no every time, but now, I wonder what would have happened if I said yes, just once to him. Maybe i'm just selfish, maybe not, but oh well. What's done is done. I'm going to bed, see ya." She saluted to him with her bottle. Then she was gone.

"I' m going to take that as a yes."

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**So , yeah...hope you liked it, and please review, its one of he reasons for writing and rewriting...**


	10. Chapter 9

**Hey, just as i said, it's out by tonight! I hope you like it, i had alot of fun writing this one for some reason. Sorry, i have no excuse for the lateness, and i am not going to try...i am actuall thinking abot starting to ask if any of you talented drawers want to draw some stuff for this story, and make a tumblr page dedicated to them, but its only an idea, let me know how you feel about that in your review...thank yous are an order i believe so...**

**kazenostigmafan4ever: don't worry, there will be plenty, just want to start off mild then go deeper...and you'll see about ayano ;D THANKS FOR REVIEWING!**

**RandomMinnesotan: Thank you about the personalities, it's very hard to not want to put you're attitude, or behaviors into characters and make sure they don't seem the same and bland so thank you!and i do understand your pain perfectly...been there done that. Thanks for the review!**

**Guest: Wow, you liked that side of her? thanks! since i have never been drunk before, which i believe is a good thing, it's hard to tell what a drunk would say, or do, look,feel in any situation. I just went off some examples and did what i thought might happen. I'll concider having it in the story. And thank you for reviewing.**

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"Shit!" Kazuma muttered to himself as he saw what was happening to Ayano. Gone was the near master fire user, and in her place was her demon looking clone. Except, she looked different. As if she were more based on animal than demon, but then again all he had to go on last time was bleary glimpses before...well last time happened.

Running, somewhat regretfully, between the masked villain and his partner- in love and battle- he readied himself for any thing.

"Ayano, snap out of it! There's no need to fight right now! Both us and him aren't ready to fight, and he knows it! He's just trying to rile you up, which you are letting him do!"

She let out a snarl and was about to charge, Kazuma had to act quickly. Without realizing he did, he called upon the contract within mere milliseconds, and a barrier of wind and wind spirits came down with such sudden force, that the building they were standing on shuddered.

"Enough! Calm down, there's no time for this! I don't want to fight you, but I will if I have to!" Kazuma was starting to become really annoyed with this, and was tempted to just bulldoze the building in hopes it would knock her unconscious, but shoved the thought to the recesses of his mind.

Ayano seemed to look at him in shock, as if she finally realized who he was.

"Concord? Tu vivis? Quam?" Her hair ceased to defy gravity, and returned to its natural position. She even started to cry, randomly, and was walking towards him, cautiously. Her fury was gone, but her eyes remained the same all red, demon looking, way they were. Even her sword had vanished.

None of them noticed the masked figure back away and leave them, as interesting as it was. The girl was definitely something else, that's for sure. It's good to know you have an honest employer, well to a certain degree. She didn't look that naïve, if anything she looked like a sex goddess, looking as if in only a jacket. A man's jacket. The masked man's eyes widened in realization.

"Well, this is an interesting development."

The man jumped from the rooftop and created a portal on the ground just before he made contact with the cement.

Ayano's hand cupped his face, tenderly, as if she had done thousands of times, and she had only done it twice. She brought his head down to hers and their foreheads touched, and her eyes closed. She breathed deeply, as if smelling the air, and relaxed completely in his grasp.

Suddenly, it seemed as if her feet couldn't hold her anymore and she started falling towards the ground.

"Whoa, there! Ayano, are you alright?"

She opened her eyes, and they were finally back to normal. Kazuma breathed a sigh of relief. As soon as he got her to bed, he was going to the library, if any were open. If all else failed, he'd go say hi to the Kannagi's. They have one of the biggest libraries in the city.

"What happened, did I faint or something?" Kazuma tensed, not knowing what to say. Should he lie, or should he tell her? Is she ready for that info? Not wanting to give an answer, he did what he did best, stall.

"I'll tell you when you wake up, and the sun is up." Picking her up, Kazuma took her back to the apartment and tucked her in, but by that time, she was already asleep.

Kazuma cursed his luck, he thought at least one- even a sketchy library- would be open at six in the morning. The thought of going to the Kannagi's made him uneasy. He was unsure of how they'd react if they saw him. He could always ask Ayano to go with him, have an extra set of eyes to help him. Just because he could tell her _exactly_ what he was looking for, he could tell her just read anything about birds. Phoenixes were after all birds, right? That, and also she could vouch for him and tell him he was the real deal.

Walking back to the apartment, he noticed something, well rather _someone. _Man, that couldn't be him, he was so tall! Too mature! But those were the same green eyes, maybe a bit dim, but the same, and his hair! He cut, making him look like an attractive young man. He might even be taller than him now, and Kazuma knew he was a tall man. 'Cause he towered over most of the Kannagi's, their leader being no exception. Holy cow, how old was he again? Sixteen, no too young. Seventeen, hell maybe even eighteen. Then, as if noticing someone looking at him, he turned around, and his eyes widened.

"K-Kazuma!?"

"Hey Ren, how's my little, well giant, brother doing?"

What happened next was something he should have expected, but didn't. He got a huge, powerful right hook to the face.

"Oooowww! What was that for?" Ren just looked very pissed.

"How dare you impersonate him! I don't know why everyone thinks that we're just going to stand there and fall for this, and you kill us! Guess what, it isn't happening!"

Kazuma's eyes widened, noticing the predicament he was in. He had to think of something quickly before Ren hated him and almost fried him. Then he knew the one thing that would clear his name, because there was no way anyone else knew this.

"Come on Ren, don't tell you don't remember the time where you thought it was normal to wear girl's pj's when you were a kid."

The look that was presented to Kazuma was priceless. Embarrassment, anger, happiness all rolled up on an expression that probably couldn't be replicated by anyone.

He then proceeded to get the life squeezed out of him by one of the strongest bear hugs ever.

"I...what...how are you here?"

"Honestly, I have no idea really. I do have a question though. The Kannagi's still have that humongous library right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I got a research project I gotta do."

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**That's it, sorry had to stop at some point, i still have to do homework, which i know i should have done earlier but oh well...please leave a review, also, i think i'll add another extra chapter at 30 reviews, which, seriously, isnt that far off... and like i said leave thoughts of my ideas in your review too... i also got translations for everything...this is based off of google translate, so don't blame me okay**

**Concord is Kazuma's name(close to it) in latin.**

**Tu vivis? is hopefully you're alive?**

**Quam is how?...(supposedly)**

**-thanks! **


	11. AN: Note! Not a Chapter

**HEY GUYS!HOWS IT GOIN? For those of you who are still willing to read this story, fear not, i haven't given up on this story...i love it too much for it to end like this...just a few things id like to ask all of you wonderful people...**

**1) I have an idea of where this will end and some events that will happen, this version of the stroy is taking a WAAAAAYYYY different turn that the other one...that being said, most things are not set in stone, so those of you who would like something to occur...VOICE THOSE OPPINIONS! one person asked for drunk ayano and SHALL HAVE IT! but other than that i have nothing asked for...i like to know what a reader would like to happen...**

**2) The reason for lateness in chapters...well i have two main ones...A) life: school, family, and friends will always come before the story...I have alot of summer homework for school and my grandpa was in the hospital...B) didn't have a computer for about a month and a half...was grounded from one and my dad doesnt have one so ya sorry but cant release aything if i dont have anything to release it on...**

**3)Fan Art...if anybody is interested in going ANYTHING for this couple, i will gladly accept it...i love peoples imaginations and creativity, so ya...do it...**

**4) The next chapter should be out in the next couple of days...so KEEP A LOOK OUT FOR IT!**

**5) If any of you guys want to adopt any of my other works go ahead, its yours...this is basically the only thing i really like working on, so ya! have fun!**

**6) Iwill do another bonus chapter if enough people want me to do it...last time i did it with reviews, but realized that was a bitchy thing to do...so on enough requests, i will do more bonus chapters.**

**That's all i really have on my mind right now...except one thing...on my traffic graph it show over 2,000 have at least look at my story, yet only 20 reviewed...i am a little sad...but dont worry i wont be the bitch to hold a chapter because i dont get enough reviews...im just happy that many people are at least a little interested in this story...**

**for those of you expecting the chapter...I am truely sorry for disappointing you but I had to get this off my chest before i go on with this story...BUT...don' worry, it'll be out soon!**

**OH and thank yous will be on the actual chapter...**


	12. Filler: Promises

**Hey guys, sorry for the unexpected long wait, but i got sick to the point of almost being hospitalized. I'm fine now though, so no worries. **

**Note: THIS IS A FILLER...sorry not an actual chapter, still have to get it typed up, hopefully it'll be out before school starts for me, which is like a week...**

**ANOTHER NOTE: THIS CONTAINS MENTIONS SUICIDE. I DON'T APPROVE OR LIKE SUICIDE, BUT IT IS IN THIS CHAPTER! SO DON'T READ IT IF YOU DON'T LIE THAT STUFF.**

**I'll do thank yous at the bottom this time...**

**Disclaimer: do i think its necessary at this time, hell no, but i have to. I do not own the series, so you no sue. **

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_Do it, just do it. You'll feel better, the earth won't be used on something useless, so it's a win-win situation. It'll be extremely easy nowadays, and so many ways to do it. It'll _finally_ stop the pain. No more crying, no more sadness, no nothing, It'll be freeing. So _why_ can't you do this?_

_**Because of him. I made a promise to him.**_

_You could make it look like you lost to a yoma. You know the signs of how target and kill humans, it'd easy._

_**But HE'D know the difference. He would know you willingly gave up your life.**_

Ayano had been going through this inner battle for quite some time after she left what she called home for all of her life, well till yesterday. Debating whether or not as to throw herself off the building, stab herself with Enraiha, or just overdose on sleep meds, it was safe to say Ayano was a lost soul.

Her hopes would rise with every breeze that softly blew, just so she can see _him _even one more time, only to be crushed hard with the sight of nothing. No one could say that since _that _day they have seen her smile, let alone any other emotion, but they could all feel the depression that hung around her, hell almost see it in the air.

No one thought Ayano could love him so deeply, even though he wasn't in her life anywhere near as long as Tsui-Ling was in _his_, but that didn't matter to her, only the ginormous hole that only could have been filled with his presence.

The only thing keeping on the earth...the goddamned promise to a goddamned dead man.

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_Go on, just count back from three then pull the chair from out under you. It's simple, and could be seen as an accident._

_**But HE WOULD KNOW!**_

_So how did you get this far only to back out _now?

_**Doesn't matter, I am now.**_

She had been trying over five weeks just to end it all, to be free of pain, only to back out at the last second every fucking time. Today she was to try and hang herself, but it failed...again. This time though was different than the others though.

She actually cried.

She hadn't shed a single tear after his funeral, just hurt too much to cry. It also showed weakness, and you never show weakness, even in death.

Fucking promise.

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She was so, so close to doing it, knife posed and all. She had been drinking a little, of course, so the knife wasn't exactly steady.

_This time, I'm really going to do it!_

_**So do it.**_

She hesitated, and taking her silence as fear, the voice spoke.

_**See, you always manage to make it to this point, then you pull back, only to repeat the process! Do it, or don't, just make up your goddamned mind!**_

Shaking, she just stood there, unsure of what to do. Unfortunately, with her slightly intoxicated and shaky stupor, the knife cut into her. She watched with disturbing curiosity as the blood flowed from the gash and dripped down her arm onto the floor. She had finally done it! She was finally going to die.

"**Ayano! You dumb ass!" **Someone shouted at her angrily, but with a shock of familiarity, she hardly believed her eyes.

She had finally lost her mind. Kazuma was dead, not standing right infront of her. Oh, god. What had she done, she promised him, and she broke her promise. She sat down at one of the chairs sitting by the kitchen table.

"K-K-Kazuma!? How are you here?" He ignored her question and looked for something to stop the bleeding with. Finding a towel in a supply closet close to the bathroom he returned to her. Looking extremely pissed.

"**Keep pressure on it. I'll be back." **He got up and went to the bathroom, and got the emergency kit. Boy was he pissed. He specifically told her, TOLD HER, not to do what she is doing. He came back to the kitchen to find her taking a swig of whatever alcohol she was drinking.

"**What the hell happened to you?" **He asked unexpectedly quiet. She couldn't help but laugh.

"Does it matter? This is all just an image of my imagination anyway. Good God, was I always this demented towards myself?" She asked curiously as he patched up her arm. It felt surprisingly real, the warmth of his hands was almost a slap to the face.

"**You idiot. What about our promise? Do you even_ remember _our promise." **At that moment, Ayano tried to slap him with her free hand, only to have him grab her wrist.

"Of course I remember it, how could I not?" She looked almost as mad as he did for a moment, but was washed into sadness. "But, it hurts Kazuma. It just hurts so damn much." Her hand had clutched the area around her heart, as Kazuma finished bandaging her other wrist. He pulled her into a fierce hug.

"**Ayano, how can you ever become stronger if you don't move forward. If become dead like me, what do you think those that love you will become. They'd become like you are, cutting yourself, bleeding out to death. Do you want that for Ren?" **She simply shook her head, her voice refusing to obey her.

"**Then suck it up, be a woman. Quit wallowing around, make something of yourself! Don't kill yourself. You'd become nothing but a lying coward if you do that." **She nodded at him, agreeing completely with him.

"**Princess, I gotta go." **He said as he rose to his feet, but a hand on his wrist kept him from leaving.

"Please, just stay a bit longer!" She asked while trying not to cry. He looked down at her and sighed. Smiling he sat down in another chair and waited till she fell asleep to leave.

To her that was the last time she saw him till his resurrection, but to any others who would see through her window, the last time Ayano saw Kazuma was when he died in her arms not that long ago.

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**And that's it...if you have questions just ask, you might be confused and that's alright, i wrote it like that.**

**To the thank yous!**

**Nature Girl13: Yes, it'll be good...i hope, and i have some fluffy parts coming up...Does the quote 'IT'S SO FLUFFY, I COULD DIE!' from despicable me come to anyone else's mind when fluffy is brought up? maybe its just me, oh well...And come on, Kazuma dying more than once would make the story boring...like supernatural, can't surprise anybody anymore with someone dying, or coming back to life... Thanks for the reviews!**

**kazenostigmafan4ever: i simply chose latin because, i have no freakin clue which language would work the best...might change it later, i just don't know...sorry for the long wait! Thanks for the continued support!**

**notsobiggestfan: I will, you can count on it! Thank you!**

**SKYBLue152: Thank you for the comment, and the next chap should (hopefully) be out next week...**

**guest: no comment.**

**So hoped you all liked it and please, please, please review...i can't make story better if no one doesn't tell me anything...**

**So ya Auf Wiedersehen as they say in german( i think)**


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